Looking Back
by suekay535
Summary: A young witch is trying to cope with an evil dictator trying to take over her forest, as well as visions from the past. Falling in love with an elf and making aliances with a pirate and a warrior, just makes the story sweeter. PLEASE R&R!
1. Chapter 1, The team

**Looking Back**

**Chapter 1**

Leviticus was a despised wizard of my century. I never thought of living up to him, mainly because he was evil and I was not, but he definitely had an edge. His magic, some say, was gathered from various magical objects. Some even say he found the white wood, which is the most magical place in the world, lost after some dark time or something like that. I hated his guts. He really got on my nerves, especially when he invaded _my _woods. Being a talented witch, this was like trespassing in the palace gardens, although it's not really trespassing if you're the king, but still he was stealing _my _magic source! I was in need of help if I was going to get rid of him.

**-**

**-Melody**

"Mary! Mary! Where are you Mary?" yelled a frantic voice on the edge of the woods.

I woke up covered in sweat. It was the same dream I had been having for weeks, ever since Leviticus decided to invade my forest. I hated him so much.

"Mistress Melody?" I heard my apprentice, Caroline, say from the other side of my door.

"Yes?" I asked in an annoyed tone in order to show her it had better be important.

"Gabriel is here to see you." She said in a weakened tone, and I had wondered if I had been too hard on her, but hay, you would be grumpy too if some dictator was trying to steal your home!

"Oh yes, the elf, tell him I'll be there in a minute. Have him wait in the kitchen will you?" I asked. That elf Gabriel was an ambassador from the local elves in my forest. I've been asking them for help for some time, but the truth is elves are wimps. They always move away from a fight. I was hoping this elfin queen would be different though.

I quickly put my brown hair up in an intricate bun, with the help of magic of course, and put on a simple white tunic and a pair of trousers. I definitely didn't look my best, but I really didn't care about what this elf thought about me, and with that I walk out into the kitchen.

He was just sitting there staring at me, probably waiting for me to say something first. His big black eyes and long brown hair didn't get to me. I wasn't in need of a boy friend right now. I was in need of an army.

"Hello Gabriel. I have been waiting for your response for some time now." I said in a mock manner of a tone. He just raised his eye brows at me in a curious and probably annoyed look.

"I have an answer. The queen herself is willing to give up any volunteers for your cause." he said calmly and smoothly. I sighed in relief.

"Oh good. How many is that?" I asked suddenly aware that there weren't many elves interested in fighting.

"Well let's see… There is me and I and oh and me as well!" he said sarcastically.

"Alright I get it. You are the only elf with a hint of bravery for hundreds of miles." I retorted back. This was getting to be a problem. No one wanted to help out anymore, except maybe Gabriel, but I believe he's just trying to make a name for himself as queen's son.

"Guess so. Hay do I get a badge or something?" he asked with the same amount of retort. He was definitely sleeping in the shed tonight.

"No, but you get to help a pitiful witch and her apprentice for free! This is a one of a kind offer so take it now or never." Our exchange of funny banner was getting kind of old.

"Why not, I have nothing else to do." I was pretty sure he was serious this time.

"Just for that you get to sleep in the guest room." I replied then went to my study to look up some spells to try to grow foreign herbs in my garden. This had always been an odd hobby of mine.

-

-

"No, no, here repeat after me, fioriana casana." I said trying to teach Carolina how to make fire. She held up her torch and tried again.

"Fioriona casanin." The torch sparked then blew out instantly. They had been going on like this for hours and Carol still couldn't get it right.

"Uhhh, let's do some more tomorrow it's getting late. Please practice in the morning." I said relieved to be able to go to bed at last. It had been a long day of spell searching and trying to get Carolina to pay attention.

I shooed her out the door and started to change into my night gown when there was a knock on my door. I quickly finished dressing and headed for the knob. Carolina was standing in the hall out of breath and trying to keep steady.

"A man just knocked and fell on the doorstep. He's hurt badly and has no provisions!" She spoke between breaths so it was hard to understand her, but I got the point. Someone was hurt and abandoned on my doorstep. I'm sure your starting to get the point that my life is not at all normal.

I ran to the front door, only to discover the man. He had short black hair that spiked up a bit, a scabbard on his belt, and, most importantly, an arrow in his back. I reached down in the well of magic that seemed to rest near my heart and pulled out a strand. Then, I took the strand and entered it into the man's back.

"The arrow is poisoned. Hurry and go get Gabriele, I'll need help lifting the man." I had never seen Carolina run as fast as I said these words. She was yelling Gabriele all the way down the hall, and knocking on his door. I started to lift the man as Gabriele ran full speed over to help me. His brown hair was fully let down and he did not have a shirt on. Guess he caught the urgency in Carol's voice. 

We moved the mystery guy on the kitchen table. Without hesitation, I entered my magic threw him and started to fix his anatomy and eliminate the poison. It took me hours to get every bit out, but I never gave up. Finally when the last bit of poison was out I fell to the floor in exhaustion. 

I thought I heard myself say, "He's well." before I nodded off. It was hard to tell.

-

-

"Listen kid, I don't know your name and that hit on the head must mean you don't either so I'm gonna call you…"

I woke up. I was dreaming of the last memory I have ever had. It was the day Luna found me. She was the woman who taught me everything I know; unfortunately she died while experimenting in the dark arts. I never touched those books afterward. They were locked up a long time ago.

I was suddenly aware that I was in bed, and then I remembered last night and jumped out of bed and ran into the kitchen in my night robe. I was really panicking when I saw the man wasn't on the table any more.

"Where is he? What happened? Where did he go?" I wasn't really making much since after that, until the man walked right in the kitchen his self. 

"Calm down woman, by the looks of it you're about to have a heart attack." He said in a very sarcastic tone. Nobody talks to me like that.

"Excuse me? I just saved your life; maybe you should be a little more grateful?" I said with as much attitude as possible. If he talked back I had plenty of painful spells to deliver.

"Oh, then you must be Melody the local witch around here if I'm correct?" Yes I was the local witch, but no fool as to not respond to that little comment. The heavy books on the table gave me an idea. I entered my magic into them then pulled the thread up then right back down on his toe.

"Oops, did I do that? I am soooo clumsy." I was feeling pretty proud until Gabe came in.

"You mortals are the most immature creatures on this planet." was his response. "Oh yeah fairy boy? Want to go?" was the man's response.

"You know; if we lived a few hundred more years maybe we wouldn't be so immature!" was mine. The tension was really building now. If Carolina hadn't come in there might have been a much bruised elf in the house.

"What are you all doing? I thought we were planning the destruction of Leviticus, not each other." She had a point, so we all backed down.

"I going to suggest that anyway, by the way my name's Zydin." said our mystery guy at last revealed. About time was all I could think.

"Well Zydin, interested in our little war party?" said I.

"I've got nothing better to do than chase the guy who tried to kill me, so… Sure." was all he said. I was really dizzy from using too much energy at once, so I excused myself, so I could lie down.

**-**

**-Gabriele**

As soon as Melody went to lie down, I decided to ask some questions. Melody, probably to tired to care, forgot to ask why Zydin was wanted by Leviticus.

"So, Zydin, exactly why is Leviticus is after you?" I gave him a suspicious look, actually there wasn't really a need for that look to get answers, when I could tell if he was lying anyways, but it never hurts to show a little back bone.

"That's a long story; then again _you _have forever to hear it, don't you?" I gave him another look just for emphasis.

"I'm what you might call a pirate of a sort. I sort of been plundering Leviticus' ships lately just because I hate his guts, plus he has some pretty interesting stuff on board. Would you have guessed that the next time I land my ship, that there are a few mercenaries waiting for me? I was sort of hiding out around this area when one found me and, well you know the story from there." I had to admit, Zydin had no issues when it came to telling a good tale, all though the telling needed some work. At this moment I actually noticed how young he was. If I had a guess I would say Carolina's age.

"Are you not a bit young to be a pirate?" I asked even more suspicious then before.

"Yes, well my father died a bit young, I kind of had to take over from there at the age of twelve. I coped pretty well at least." Twelve! Elf wise that was practically still a baby! I was pretty much done from there, so I went to lie down as well. It had been a very long night.


	2. Chapter 2, The invisible soldier

**Chapter 2**

**Melody**

Carolina's cure for the common cold wasn't going to well. I had laid everything out for her and went over the whole process with her, but instead of turning an off white, it turned a dark gruesome purple. I couldn't figure out what she did wrong, until I saw her sleeve. It was a light purple instead of dark purple like the rest of her tunic. I made a mental note to remind her to role her sleeves before any potion making was done.

The lesson was cut short so that we could all start making plans for our little war party. We still needed some allies and ideas in order to win back my home.

As I walked into the kitchen, I noticed that Gabriel seemed to be writing something in a journal of sorts.

"What are you writing?" I asked. He seemed a bit startled to see me, which seemed odd, since elves were often very aware of their surroundings.

"It's sort of a journal I've been writing down my life in." he said as he regained his usual state of calm.

"Seems kind of small." I said with a hint of suspicion.

He sighed and closed it. "I'm not any where near a hundred years old. I'm only thirty two. I ran away from home to seek adventure." This shocked me. Gabriel had always acted so mature and old. I would have never guessed him so young.

"Hay, if it makes you feel any better, I'm only twenty seven." He looked at me strange.

"Yes, but by elf standards I'm still a child!"

"Yes, but if you haven't noticed, your not exactly around elves at the moment." was my response. He seamed a bit comforted by these words and gave me a grin. 

-

-**Gabriele**

The discussions went on for hours before we got anywhere. I had suggested many army battle techniques, but they didn't go so hot, since a lot of reply was "With what army?" that was the question bothering everyone the most. Who would fight? There were little who lived in the forest, except the elves. They would definitely not fight.

"You know," said Melody, who hadn't really said much the whole time. "We could _duplicate_ an army."

"What do you mean" I asked. Melody's ideas were often far fetched, but this topped them all.

"I'll show you." was all she said. 

For a moment Melody disappeared behind a closet door. She pulled out some rusted armor and weapons and laid them on the floor. Then, she pulled out a small white stone that seemed to glow in the lamp light. 

"This," said Melody "is an ice stone. They are kind of hard to find since they come from a very cold region. I've been saving it for a special occasion." She stuck the stone with the rest of the pile and started chanting.

I was amazed as the armor stood on its own and its weapons floated in mid air as if an invisible hand was there. 

"How is this equivalent to a real soldier?" asked Zydin. I had to say he had a point.

"It will answer to all commands, but only from each of us. I can also put in certain sword techniques and reactions into it, as well as duplicate it like so." She started a chanting a bit more and the armor vibrated violently. At last, as if from no where, there were two of these invisible men.

"If you take a look under the armor only one of them has the stone, of course if we dormant it and put it somewhere safe, we should be able to control the rest all the same without the original." explained Melody.

"That's amazing! How do you come up with these things?" I exclaimed. Melody used magic to let down her usual intricate bun, so you could see it tumbling down around her face. Her brown eyes sparkled as she grinned.

"I guess you're just lucky I'm here." She turned around and headed for her study. She definitely deserved a break after that complex magic. I couldn't help but wonder in aw at how much power Melody had.

-

-**Melody**

I was very proud after my little discovery for an alternate army, so I continued to study fighting techniques, army formations, and protection and strengthening spells. My studies and notes went on for most of the night, until I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open and just slept.

When I woke up I was in my own bed and by the looks of the lighting in the room, it was around noon. It was the first dreamless night I had had in weeks! I felt rejuvenated and energetic as I walked into the kitchen, which seemed to have become the most popular room in the house, probably because of the close access to food and comfy dining room chairs with extra cushions. There were two people at the table, Gabriele and Zy. They looked as if they had been talking for a long time. They also didn't seem to notice me at first.

"So what about a crew? Don't you have a loyal crew willing to help out?" asked Gabriele.

"Ahhhh, now that's a tale!" I could hear how excited Zy was to be able to tell it

"Then you won't mind if I join you?" I asked mischievously.

"Of course not! Gather round. Now you see; I had just entered port with my crew. I ordered them to stay on board as I went to make a few trades. Some of them got off to look around any ways though, but they were all back before I because of _certain_ delays." 

"You had to use the privy didn't you?" I asked.

"No! Well….maybe."

"I bet that's not it Melody. I bet that he fell asleep during one of his _trades_." said Gabriele.

"I'm telling the story here!" yelled Zydin. Gabriele and I gave each other a hi five under the table.

"Now as I was saying. Apparently someone had snuck a bomb on board in attempt to kill me. It blew the ship pieces across the sea and there was nothing left of my crew." He ended his story with a dramatic sob. Yeah right. His crew probably pulled a mutiny for all the money their captain was worth.

"Well…. I'm hungry. Let's eat!" I exclaimed. I chanted a relatively simple conjuring spell, along with a mixing and heating spell, so that there was a pleasing egg and cheese casserole in the end.

"Anyone else hungry?" I asked as they stared at me in aw with their mouths open.

"Well good more for me then." I dug into the delectable casserole and started to stuff my face, when Carolina came in with a huge grin on her face.

"I've done it! Take a look!" Carolina lifted a torch and whispered under her breath, in the end setting the torch a blaze. I was very impressed. Carol wasn't much for practicing.

"Excellent! I knew you'd get the hang of it!" I was very excited, now we got to move on to some of my more complicated spells. They were often very difficult to learn, but this proved Carol was taking some learning in!

"If you like we can go look up some information for the duplicating army so that it is more effective." I suggested as Carolina lit up with glee. Her heart seemed to soar as she skipped down the hall into the study.

"If you excuse me gentleman, and Zydin, I will be in my study for quite a while. Make yourselves at home. If you like you may go see the garden, but please don't pick or touch any of the herbs!" I walked right into my study without another word.

**Author's Note**  
I know this chapter is a little short, but bear with me. I'm doing the best I can! 


	3. Chapter 3, A long lost sibling

Looking Back

**Chapter 3**

**Gabriele**

The garden had many unusual plants. Some had purple, or yellow, and sometimes both. I had never seen so much color in one place! At the South end of the garden there was a beautiful fountain that spewed water into a little fountain out of thin air in every direction. The water seemed to come from no where and everywhere at once!

I walked toward the fountain and looked down in the basin of the fountain. In it were many colorful fish of every shape and size. Every now and then, one of them did a little flip in the air. I was so engrossed at watching the parade of colors, that I didn't notice Zydin coming up to me at first.

"Magic, when used properly, can be so beautiful, but when used for the wrong purposes, can become ugly and twisted." said Zydin with a little bit of resentment.

"I suppose a good example of twisted magic would be Leviticus, and an example of beauty would be Melody." I responded.

"Don't you mean her magic?"

"What?" I asked confused.

"You said Melody was an example of beauty, not her magic." explained Zy. "You like her don't ya?" He gave me a cunning grin.

"Well, yes I suppose I do, but…. I'm not sure how to tell her; especially if she does not feel the same." It was one of my greatest fears to find out if she didn't care for me, but it was one of my greatest wants to learn that she did.

"Give it time Gabe, give it time." was all he said before he walked away.

I stayed in the garden for perhaps an hour when I decided to check on how the girls were doing. I hoped that they had at least replicated a few soldiers. The night she duplicated that invisible soldier, she seemed not in the least bit exhausted, but I knew better, for when I went to check on her in her study only two hours later, she was asleep. I made sure to get her to her bed just like I did the night she saved Zydin.

When I arrived at the study Carolina was huffing and puffing in a leather chair, while Melody stood with her hands behind her back staring out the window.

"What's wrong?" I asked. It was Carolina that answered, for Melody was still off in her own world.

"We have been trying to replicate the soldiers, but there is just too much of them! Plus, we cannot figure out how to get them to the other end of the forest without being detected." This, I had never even considered, but I saw how it was a problem. The soldiers were big, bulky, and loud. There was no way to get them through that forest.

We all just stood there for a while when a chess set caught my eye. The pieces were wooden, but still served their purpose. I picked up a night and studied it. A silly thought crossed my mind and some how found itself out of my head then out of my mouth.

"It would be easy if the soldiers were the size of a chess piece, then we could stick them in a purse and carry them off." It was a dumb idea and I had no idea how it got out, but then Melody looked up at me with wide eyes and smiled, then she started dancing around the room and humming a little song. I almost laughed, but remembered that I was supposed to be older than I was.

"That's brilliant! Just brilliant! Where would we be with out you Gabriele? Why, we would be stumbling out in the woods with a bunch of tin cans just looking for trouble!" she said as she spun in front of me. Suddenly, she lost her balance and came hurtling toward me. We both collapsed on the floor and laughed.

"So, does this mean you can actually shrink these tin cans of yours?" I asked with clear amusement in my voice.

"Yep watch!" She got off of me and headed toward the original tin can himself. She closed her eyes and lowered her hands. It seemed she want squashing and reshaping the soldier. I looked around and saw the rest shrinking as well. When she finished, she picked all the soldiers up and set them on her desk.

"These will be much easier to duplicate as well! I can't wait to tell Zydin!" Melody ran out of the study and down the hall.

"What a clever idea old man, or should I say young, since you are not much older than Melody?" stated Carolina.

"How did you…"

Carolina interrupted with "Know?" I was very confused. This was impossible. What sort of magic was this?

-**Melody**

I looked all over the house for Zydin. He wasn't in the kitchen, or any of the bedrooms. I looked out front as well, but there was still no sign of him. Finally, I looked in the garden, and low and behold there he was.

"Zydin! I've been looking everywhere for you!" I suddenly noticed how sad he looked. It was as if his entire attitude was sucked out of him.

"I was just thinking about Star." he said in a wistful voice.

"Who is star?" I asked. He had never mentioned anyone named Star before. Maybe I was learning about a whole different side to Zydin.

"Star's my sister. She ran away from my mother to become a merit warrior. She was always a warrior at heart, but my mother would never hear of her baby being put in danger. I used to get letters from her every now and then. She was about to graduate and come visit last time she wrote." I heard tell of many young girls who had run away to be trained in using their body as a weapon.

"You know… We could find her now." His face lit up and he hugged me. I felt a brotherly connection with Zydin and was glad to help him.

"Come on. I think I might have something that will help."

The closet was always full of junk. I never really felt like cleaning it much, plus I hate to clean even with magic.

"I know it's here somewhere!" I exclaimed as I looked through all the broken magical items. At last, I found a mirror. It was in the broken stuff closet because the magic helper inside was a jerk, but I sometimes used it when I couldn't find something.

"I found it! Here look!" I held up the mirror to him as a face developed in it.

"What did you lose this time, because if it's your mind I don't think I can find in that large thing you call a head." said the face. I stuck my tongue at him and moved on to the point.

"Need you to find someone for me. A girl named Star." The mirror buzzed and the face looked like it was thinking.

"I need a mental image." said the face. I handed the mirror to Zy.

"Think about what your sister looks like." I told him. Zydin scrunched up his face, and this time an image of a girl traveling on horse down a road. She had short brown hair and wore a dark red tunic and leather trousers. The red symbolized master in merit terms. I wondered how long ago she ran away.

"That's her!" exclaimed Zydin. I knew that I'd find her.

"Great let's go get her!" Before Zy could protest, I grabbed his hand and reached out with a magic strand through the mirror and yanked hard so that we would get there quick. The mirror fell on the floor behind us.

We ended up right in Star's path, which must have startled her, because in a split second, Zydin was face down on the ground with his hands held behind his back.

"Who are you and what do you want?" shouted star. I guess she wasn't having a good day.

"I'm Melody and, well I think you know the guy you just pummeled." She gave me an annoyed look, than got off of her brother and looked at his face with wide eyes.

"Zydin?"

"Star!" They hugged and I watched with satisfaction written all over my face.

"Star… Would you be interested in joining our war party?" O asked.

"Wait. What happened to the crew Zy?" asked Star to Zydin.

"They're gone Star. The man we're after killed them." Star looked like she was about to cry then took a huge breath and nodded her head.

"I'll join."

* * *

Author's note: Sorry that took so long, I've been a little busy lately.


	4. Chapter 4, Carolina's story

**Chapter 4**

**Gabriele**

"My story is a little complicated." said Carolina when I asked her to explain.

"I've got all day to hear." I pointed out.

"Well alright let's sit down. This might take a while." Carol and I each pulled up a seat next to the desk in the study.

"About three years ago…" she began, "I lived in a small village called Collinsville. Melody still goes there to buy and sell wares every now and then. Any way, I lived in a small cottage with my mother. She was beautiful; she had long dark brown hair and a big heart. She used to sing me songs when I couldn't sleep and lift my spirits when I was sad or alone.

On my sixteenth birthday, I began to hear things. You see, I was out side in the garden picking vegetables when I heard my mother saying her recipe aloud in the kitchen. I also then thought I heard her call my name, so I went inside.

"Yes mother?" I asked, but she just turned and looked at me funny.

"I did not call you." she replied. I was certain I heard my name, but decided to give it up.

Later I went to my friend's house. She looked deeply depressed and shivered when ever her father walked by to get something. Suddenly I heard her voice say _I wish he loved me instead of beating me each night_, but her lips didn't move. I quickly excused myself and went to town to get the sheriff, but suddenly, many voices crowded my head. I felt like it was going to explode, but it just kept hurting. I stumbled over to a small wears cart and sat beside it and cried." Carolina looked at me as if remembering an intense and painful memory. I could only imagine what it felt to be her than.

"I was lucky the person who owned that cart was Melody, or I would have been stuck there for a long time. She came up to me and sat down next to me. I would have ran if the voices hadn't felt so painful.

"Tell me what's wrong child." She asked as if I was ill. Suddenly her voice spoke above the others and quieted them. _I hope she feels alright. She might need one of my potions._

"What is a potion?" I asked. Her eyes widened and her face went white.

"It, it's sort of like medicine, but how did you…"

"I think I heard you think it." She stared at me than said five words I'll never forget.

"You have a power in you." was what she told me. "What is your name child?" she asked.

"Carolina." I told her and she made me an offer I really couldn't refuse.

"Carolina, I work in the field of magic. If ever you feel in need of an apprenticeship, just hold this and say I wish to go home." Melody handed me an amulet then left in a flash. I soon found myself home and talked to my mother about my day, little did I know that the farm hand was listening as well.

The next day the sheriff arrived and tried to take me and burn me at stake. I ran to my room and mother tried to block the door, but the sheriff hit her on the head and went for me. My mother yelled "Use the amulet!" and I did without even thinking." Carol looked at me for a while then closed her eyes.

"I know how you feel about Melody, but trust me. She is a free spirit. She would never fall in love with you or anyone for that matter. She also won't live forever like you any ways! Just try to let her go." said Carol.

"What do you think I've been doing? I've tried to push away, but I can't. I can't hurt her." I yelled.

"Then tell her." Carol headed for the door when we heard a shrill scream.

-

-**Melody**

"Let's go home." I said as I began pulling at the mirror, where ever it was.

We all ended up in the kitchen, including the horse. Star screamed and I tried to calm her down while Zydin tried to take the horse out and Gabriele and Carolina came in.

"Uh…Hi, guys. This is uh, Star. She's Zy's sister and she's going to join us here." I tried to explain, but the horse was too loud and questions were being shouted.

Finally, I lost my patience and pulled as much magic out of me as possible and transported the horse to the stable, pushed everyone in a seat and quickly, magically, baked a large dinner, and transported it on the table. This took so much energy at once that I fell backwards and almost fainted, luckily Gabriel was there to catch me. As I looked in his eyes, I couldn't help but wonder at his beauty. Then I remembered Carolina's ability and straightened up at once, and explained what happened while we ate dinner.

-

-**Gabriele**

I sat down and listened to today's events and started wondering what I had gotten myself into. I had fallen in love with a mortal witch, met a boastful pirate and his sister, and was about to face one of the most dangerous wizards of all time! I think I've proven my point. Any ways, Melody seemed to have straightened everything out, and we were all done with dinner, and after Melody conjured an extra room for Star, everyone headed to bed, but Carolina and Melody went to the study after Carol whispered in Melody's ear. I was curious enough to follow and listen at the door.

"Gabriele has fallen in love with you." said Carolina quietly.

"What?" shouted Melody. "How could he? There is nothing about me to fall in love with! I'm not pretty, I'm not an elf, and I'm, I'm, I'm not sure if I'm in love with him too." she said more quietly. There was a long silence, and then…

"Maybe we should all get some rest." said Carolina, and that was my cue to leave.

-

-**Melody**

What Carolina said really shook me up. I wished to pretend the night had never happened. The whole idea of falling in love made me shiver. I had studied love potions and such for years and they were such a frightening thing. I also couldn't imagine an immortal in love with me at all.

I tossed and turned till I fitfully fell asleep. That night the dreams came back.

I was small and young, probably three years of age, and I was running up to a woman, but not just any woman, an elf. She looked a little like me at present, all except for the black eyes and completely smooth features. I had brown eyes and my nose was a little crooked, although not so much that you really noticed.

I was soon in the woman's arms and felt safe, when a large grizzly man came in and stared at me. I was frightened of this man, and tried to run away, but he caught me. It seemed he would strike me when I finally woke up breathing harshly.

After my dream I couldn't sleep, so I went to my study and read for a while.

-

-

I must have dreamed going to my study because I woke up in my bed that morning. Suddenly I started remembering other times when I fell asleep in there and ended up here. Was I t because of some spell maybe, or did someone strong that cared carry me in there. I shuddered when I thought of Gabriele. It was so hard to figure out what to say to him this morning, that I gave up and decided to say nothing.

Everyone was already up and chatting in the kitchen when I got there, so I went ahead and made breakfast. We had scrambled eggs and beacon, my favorite. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep from looking over at Gabriele, so I tried to just glance every now and then instead, as to not seem suspicious, not that anyone would have noticed, because Zydin and Star were talking up a storm with each other, and Carolina was entranced in their tale.

As soon as breakfast was over, I excused myself and, walked half ran, to the garden. It was the only place I felt safe from the world, of course if Leviticus destroyed it there would be nothing to be safe from. That thought bothered me, so I walked even quicker.


	5. Chapter 5, five daggers

**Chapter 5**

**-**

**-Gabriele**

I was so stupid to let my feelings get ahead of me. Carolina made this clear after breakfast.

"Gabriel, do you know how behind we are because of you! The army is still small, my lessons are at a complete halt, and Melody is off in her own world now which pretty much discourages everyone." I had never seen her so angry. Her fists were white and spritzing sparks. It was pretty unsettling.

"I guess maybe I should talk to her." I said sheepishly.

"I guess maybe you should!" she shouted. I was quickly heading for the garden towards a conversation I didn't want to have.

When I arrived Melody was sitting on one of the many benches in her large garden. Her expression was blank and she was white all over. My heart sank just to see her this way. I walked over and sat down next to her. She turned around.

"It's not your fault you know, me being like this. I've been have, um visions lately and their frightening me." said Melody in a ghostly tone. I was frightened too at this point. Usually perky and fun loving Melody was in a deep depression that I wasn't sure I could pull her out of.

"Look Melody, things aren't always going to go your way, but you have to be strong and pull through this. Put as much concentration as possible on defeating Leviticus. Forget about me, no us, for a while." She looked up at me and sprang up and hugged me. I could feel her tears on my back and just hugged her back and enjoyed the moment. Maybe everything would work out after all.

-

-**Melody**

After my talk with Gabriele I worked twice as hard as ever. I ran first thing to my study and, with the help of Carolina, I duplicated 800 soldiers. When Carolina asked what had gotten into me, I just told her there was someone out there giving me confidence. I sort of wondered why she was grinning after that, but pushed the thought away and headed for my cluttered closet in the hall.

I searched for what seemed like forever when I finally found what I was looking for, a dagger. Not just any dagger, an elven made dagger. It was light as a feather, but hard as diamond, plus it had my special insignia, the crescent moon with a star inside. There was a hole through the hilt so you could tie a cord through it.

All I had to do was duplicated it four times, and then change the insignia for the person it was for. It was going to take a lot of work, but I figured I could get it done before supper.

-

-

It took me two hours to finish the daggers. Fortunately I wasn't completely drained of magic yet, so I added one last detail to Gabriele's sword. On the hilt, in elvish, I put the words _thank you for believing_. They just seemed appropriate.

I hurried over to the dinner table and took out every last dagger with their special insignias I made up. Everyone was staring in awe.

"I thought these would help when we leave tomorrow." I explained.

"Tomorrow?" asked Star. "Are we ready?"

"Yes we are ready, plus I thought you all signed up to fight, not sit around all day." There was some mumbling, but everyone soon nodded their heads.

"Good. Here Zydin this one is yours." I took the corded dagger with the ship on the hilt and handed it to me. When he looked at the hilt he grinned and put it around his neck.

"Here Star." I handed her the one with the seven pointed star on the hilt, a good luck symbol for the merit warriors. She grinned as well then slid hers around her neck.

"Carolina." I handed her the dagger with a rose in bloom on the hilt. She put it around her neck as well.

"Lastly, Gabriele." I gave him his, and he nodded when he read my note, putting the dagger around his neck as well. After him I put my dagger on as well.

"These are fine daggers Melody." said Zydin. "But why are we leaving so soon. We have plenty of time." I jumped up on the table startling everyone.

"We _are_ ready, and we _are_ leaving tomorrow! Have I made myself clear?" everyone nodded and started dispatching to pack.

"I think they got my message." I said to no one particularly as I got off of the table.

-

-**Gabriele**

After everything was packed, I walked down the hall toward melodies studies. She had to be exhausted after all that magic. Truth be told, for when I arrived she was fast asleep in one of her comfy chairs.

Slowly and carefully I began to pick her up, but suddenly she started struggling and fighting. I put her down to see her having a huge upon the ground.

"Melody!" I yelled. "Melody wake up!" She just rolled and fought some sort of invisible foe, and I couldn't do anything about it.

-

-**Melody**

I was walking in a forest, just walking down an old deer path. It seemed to be a familiar place. I just couldn't put my finger on it. Any ways I kept walking until I came upon a cabin, no not a cabin, the cabin, the one in my dreams.

Suddenly a big man rush out of the cabin and struck me across the face, then he tried to carry me off, so I fought and fought, until he put me down. Then he was upon me again and I was fighting and screaming, and then, I sprang up off some sort of floor and tackled the man.

"Melody what are you doing?" I looked at the man's face and saw it was Gabriele. I immediately sighed with relief.

"I'm sorry Gabriele it was…"

"Another vision?" I had almost forgotten I had told him about them. I nodded.

"I guess you're not going back to sleep now huh." I nodded again.

"I think I just need to go and check the horses." I told him.

"I thought you had invisible servants that took care of them?"

"Yes, well it calms me to be with them." So we went.

-

-**Gabriele**

The stable was enchanted. There were many unseen servants here that did all the work Melody had no time for. My horse, Bandit, he was a huge black stallion. Melody's horse was a beautiful white stallion named Twilight. Melody had another horse she would give to Zydin named Fray, a very grumpy and stubborn steed. Carolina had a beautiful blonde pony, and Star had her brown stallion with the white star named Rarity.

"I hope the farther we get from here the less dreams I'll have." whispered Melody as she stroked Twilight.

"Maybe these visions are memories." I suggested. She looked up hopefully and nodded her head.

"Maybe, but I sure hope not. These dreams, or visions, are terrible. They begin happy and end with the same man after me. Why can't I just remember this clearly and face the facts?" she asked me.

"Maybe this was a terrible time for you, maybe it was before Luna found you." She looked as if this was the greatest discovery since magic.

"Maybe your right! I think I'll go and get some sleep now." She ran from the stable at full speed. I was really tired and walked to my room where I fell asleep as soon as I hit the pillow.


	6. Chapter 6, They're Off

**Chapter 6**

**Melody**

The rest of the night was dreamless just as I had expected. Since they were memories, and not something from the depths of my imagination, I was able to block them with magic. Gabriele's break throughs were once again useful.

My heart felt light and my stomach did a flip as I remembered what today was, the day we were to leave. I hurried to pack some extra things in my enchanted endless saddlebags. There was still one more thing I needed.

I walked to the closet and dug through it till I found the mirror. The face appeared and frowned at me.

"Well I guess you've finally come to understand how important I am. You know my information does not come cheap." He said with a smug grin.

"What do you want." I groaned. The mirror always demanded things. Last time it was usage privileges as to how many times I should use him per month.

"I want to be on display, when I'm not being used, in your study." He said plain and simply. This was worse than what I expected. He would be an embarrassment and a hardship in my study, but bringing him might be worth it.

"Fine." I said hesitantly. He started spinning his head around and grinning as if he was dancing. I wondered at that moment whether it _was_ worth it.

-

-

We all gathered at the kitchen table and studied an old map, found in my messy and endless closet. It was very detailed, but a little out of date. This is why I was bringing the mirror. It could scourer ahead to search for the right path and or clearing.

"If we leave in an hour we can make it to this clearing here and set up camp." Everyone looked as if they agreed so I continued. "We should also leave at sunrise each day so as to make more progress. Any questions?" they all just murmured around and shook their heads, which I took as a no. "Alright then, you all have an hour to pack extra and saddle up." We all dispersed and I headed to the study to retrieve my bags.

-

-**Gabriele**

As soon as I finished my last minute packing, I went straight to the stables to retrieve my horse, Bandit. Melody and Carolina were also there preparing their horses. Zydin and Star were there earlier.

I couldn't help but steal a glance at Melody. She was smiling as she whispered in her horse's ear. Her hair was in a beautiful braid and she had on a long white great coat and riding trousers. Unfortunately she caught me staring, blushed, got on top of her horse, and rode away. I wished she could feel for me, but it just was not to be.

-

-

As soon as we were all gathered outside, Melody, mounted on her hoarse, rode in front of us.

"This is our first ride together. I hope no one is too disappointed with the timing." She looked around then continued. "Good, because today is the day we set off. There is no turning back. There is no giving up. There's just the fighting for what's right and the hope that lies within us." At this she grasped her dagger, which was around her neck, and set off down the path. I quickly galloped after with the rest behind me.

-

-

It had seemed we had broken into groups on our journey. Zydin and Star were always together talking and telling stories. Carolina and Melody were often planning ahead. I just stayed behind them a bit and watched. It was an awful and painful silence that made me want to shout, but I restrained myself.

As you may imagine I was soon discovered by myself by no other than Carolina. She rode back to the end to me. I wondered what she wanted.

"How you doing?" asked Carolina in a worried way.

"I was just thinking."

"Yeah, I know." She replied with a grin which quickly faltered. "You know you can't have, so why do you insist on this dream?" I had no real answer for that, none. I just couldn't help but feel for her.

"I don't know." I replied. Suddenly we heard a loud scream from up front.

Melody was holding on for her life as her horse, Twilight, flailed her hooves. At my current angle I couldn't see why Twilight was scared. Then, when I started riding toward her, with everyone behind be, I saw the wolf. It was ravenous and risking everything for horse stew.

When I arrived at the scene I was too late to stop what happened next.

-

-**Melody**

My hands slipped from around Twilight's neck, and I fell to the ground hard. Of coarse, this was nothing compared to what happened next.

Twilight's hooves came down on my leg so hard I screamed with all I had left. The other hoof came down on the wolf. Soon there were tons of people surrounding me and Gabriele came and held me. I suddenly felt so safe, as if he could protect me from any thing.

-

-**Gabriele**

Melody's breathing was the hard labored kind. Her forehead was sweaty and her eyes were shut tight. Her leg was worst of all. If you looked hard enough there was a bit of bone protruding out of all the blood.

Carolina was hovering over her in a dash and quickly tore some of her skirt to stop the bleeding.

"We will have to set the bone, and then wrap the leg up tightly." said Carolina. "Quickly, Star, get the wrapping out of my bag, and Zydin, I'll need your strength to help set the bone." Star hurried over to Carolina's horse, and Zydin began to press down on Melody's leg. She screamed.

Star was quickly back at Carolina's side with the wrapping and helped wind it around Melody's leg. When they finished, Melody was out like a light.

I did my share by helping to carry Melody onto my horse, and let her ride with me. At any other time this would be great, but not when she was in so much pain.

-

-

We didn't get far, after that incident, when we set out camp. It was a very good clearing, but not as nice as the one we were to originally sleep at.

Melody didn't wake the whole time we rode, so I decided to help set up her tent for her. After words, I put her down on her mat and left to go set up my tent as well.

* * *

**0kay, so i decided to keep writing, sorry it took so long. I got stuck. PLEASE PLEASE review!! I need the suppport.**


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